ما عَزَّ مَن لَم يَصحَبِ الخَذِما

ما عَزَّ مَن لَم يَصحَبِ الخَذِما

فَاِحطِم دَواتَكَ وَاِكسِرِ القَلَما

فَاِحطِم دَواتَكَ وَاِكسِرِ القَلَما

None wins honor without sharp swords for company.

No honor for one who does not keep company with the ignoble

Glory belongs to no one who does not wield the sharp sword,

So smash your inkwell and break the pen.

So break your inkwells and pens in two

So smash your inkwell and snap your pen in two.

وَاِرحَم صِباكَ الغَضَّ إِنَّهُمُ

وَاِرحَم صِباكَ الغَضَّ إِنَّهُمُ

لا يَحمِلونَ وَتَحمِلُ الأَلَما

لا يَحمِلونَ وَتَحمِلُ الأَلَما

And pity your tender youth, for they

And have mercy on your tender youth

Have mercy on your tender youth, for truly they

Bear nothing, while you bear the pain.

They cannot bear while you endure the pain

Bear no burdens, while you alone bear the pain.

كَم ذا تُنادِهِم وَقَد هَجَعوا

كَم ذا تُنادِهِم وَقَد هَجَعوا

أَحَسِبتَ أَنَّكَ تُسمِعُ الرِمَما

أَحَسِبتَ أَنَّكَ تُسمِعُ الرِمَما

How long will you call to them, when they have fallen asleep?

Why do you call to them while asleep?

How long will you call out to them while they slumber?

Did you think you could make mouldering bones hear?

Did you think your calls a lifeless thing could hear?

Did you imagine you could make decaying bones hear?

ما قامَ في آذانِهِم صَمَمٌ

ما قامَ في آذانِهِم صَمَمٌ

وَكَأَنَّ في آذانِهِم صَمَما

وَكَأَنَّ في آذانِهِم صَمَما

No deafness afflicts their ears,

Deafness has plugged their ears

It is not that deafness has struck their ears,

Yet it is as though deafness fills their ears.

As if their ears were blocked to the brim

And yet, it is as though they are completely deaf.

القَومُ حاجاتُهُم إِلى هِمَمٍ

القَومُ حاجاتُهُم إِلى هِمَمٍ

أَو أَنتَ مِمَّن يَخلِقُ الهِمَما

أَو أَنتَ مِمَّن يَخلِقُ الهِمَما

These people need resolve;

The people need enthusiasm

The people are in dire need of high ambition,

Or are you among those who create resolve?

Or are you one who creates enthusiasm?

But are you one who can create ambition from nothing?

تَاللَهِ لَو كُنتَ اِبنَ ساعِدَةٍ

تَاللَهِ لَو كُنتَ اِبنَ ساعِدَةٍ

أَدَباً وَحاتِمَ طَيِّئٍ كَرَما

أَدَباً وَحاتِمَ طَيِّئٍ كَرَما

By God, even if you were Ibn Sa'idah

By God, if you were the son of Sa’ida

By God, even if you possessed the eloquence of Ibn Sa'ida,

In eloquence, and Hatim of Tayy in generosity,

In manners, and Hatem Tai in nobility

And the legendary generosity of Hatim al-Tai,

وَبَذَذتَ جالِنوسَ حِكمَتَهُ

وَبَذَذتَ جالِنوسَ حِكمَتَهُ

وَالعِلمَ رِسطاطاليسَ وَالشِيَما

وَالعِلمَ رِسطاطاليسَ وَالشِيَما

And surpassed Galen in his wisdom,

And you combined Galen’s wisdom

And if you surpassed Galen in his wisdom,

And Aristotle in learning and character,

And the knowledge of Aristotle and virtues

And outstripped Aristotle in knowledge and character,

وَسَبَقتَ كُلُمبوسَ مُكتَشِفاً

وَسَبَقتَ كُلُمبوسَ مُكتَشِفاً

وَشَأَوتَ آديسونَ مُعتَزِما

وَشَأَوتَ آديسونَ مُعتَزِما

And outstripped Columbus as an explorer,

And you surpassed Euclid in discovery

And preceded Columbus in his discoveries,

And surpassed Edison in determination,

And rivaled Edison in determination

And outpaced Edison in resolve and invention,

فَسَلَبتَ هَذا البَحرَ لُؤلُؤَةً

فَسَلَبتَ هَذا البَحرَ لُؤلُؤَةً

وَحَبوتَهُم إِيّاهُ مُنتَظَما

وَحَبوتَهُم إِيّاهُ مُنتَظَما

Then robbed this sea of a pearl,

And you took from this sea a pearl

And if you snatched a rare pearl from this sea,

And bestowed it on them, neatly strung,

And threaded them to it in order

And presented it to them perfectly strung,

وَكَشَفتَ أَسرارَ الوُجودِ لَهُم

وَكَشَفتَ أَسرارَ الوُجودِ لَهُم

وَجَعَلتَ كُلَّ مُبَعَّدٍ أَمَما

وَجَعَلتَ كُلَّ مُبَعَّدٍ أَمَما

And unveiled the secrets of existence to them,

And you unveiled to them the mysteries of existence

And unveiled the secrets of existence for their sake,

And brought every far-off thing close at hand,

And made every remote thing come together

And brought every distant goal within close reach,

ما كُنتَ فيهِم غَيرَ مُتَّهَمٍ

ما كُنتَ فيهِم غَيرَ مُتَّهَمٍ

إِنّي وَجَدتُ الحُرَّ مُتَّهَما

إِنّي وَجَدتُ الحُرَّ مُتَّهَما

You would be nothing among them but a suspect;

You would not be among them except accused

You would remain nothing to them but a suspect;

Indeed, I have found the free man accused.

I have found the free man accused

For I have found that the free man is always accused.

هانوا عَلى الدُنيا فَلا نِعَماً

هانوا عَلى الدُنيا فَلا نِعَماً

عَرَفَتهُمُ الدُنيا وَلا نِقَما

عَرَفَتهُمُ الدُنيا وَلا نِقَما

They meant so little to the world: neither as blessings

They became disdainful of the world, no blessings

They are worthless to the world; it grants them no blessings,

Did the world know them, nor as afflictions.

Did the world know them or curses?

Nor does it deem them worthy of its vengeance.

فَكَأَنَّما في غَيرِها خُلِقوا

فَكَأَنَّما في غَيرِها خُلِقوا

وَكَأَنَّما قَد آثَروا العَدَما

وَكَأَنَّما قَد آثَروا العَدَما

So it is as though they were created somewhere else,

So it is as if created for something else

It is as if they were created in a different realm,

And as though they had chosen nonexistence.

And as if they chose nonexistence

And as if they have chosen the void of non-existence.

أَو ما تَراهُم كُلَّما اِنتَسَبوا

أَو ما تَراهُم كُلَّما اِنتَسَبوا

نَصَلوا فَلا عُرباً وَلا عَجَما

نَصَلوا فَلا عُرباً وَلا عَجَما

Or do you not see how, whenever they claim descent,

Or do you not see them, whenever they affiliate

Do you not see them, whenever they boast of lineage,

They disavow it—neither Arabs nor non-Arabs?

They rise neither as Arabs nor non-Arabs

They fade away, resembling neither Arabs nor foreigners?

لَيسوا ذَوي خَطَرٍ وَقَد زَعَموا

لَيسوا ذَوي خَطَرٍ وَقَد زَعَموا

وَالغَربُ ذو خَطَرٍ وَما زَعَما

وَالغَربُ ذو خَطَرٍ وَما زَعَما

They have no standing, though they have claimed it;

They are not people of danger though they claimed

They hold no real weight, though they claim otherwise,

The West has standing, though it has made no claim.

And the West is dangerous but did not claim

While the West holds great weight without needing to boast.

مُتَخاذِلينَ عَلى جَهالَتِهِم

مُتَخاذِلينَ عَلى جَهالَتِهِم

إِنَّ القَوِيَّ يَهونُ مُنقَسِما

إِنَّ القَوِيَّ يَهونُ مُنقَسِما

Failing one another in their ignorance;

Cowardly in their ignorance

They forsake one another in their ignorance;

Indeed, the strong grow weak when divided.

The strong become despised when divided

For even the strong become weak when divided.

فَالبَحرُ يَعظُمُ وَهوَ مُجتَمِعٌ

فَالبَحرُ يَعظُمُ وَهوَ مُجتَمِعٌ

وَتَراهُ أَهوَنَ ما يُرى دِيَما

وَتَراهُ أَهوَنَ ما يُرى دِيَما

For the sea grows mighty when united,

The sea is mighty when united

The sea is mighty only when its waters are gathered,

And you see it weakest as gentle rain.

And you see it weakest when flowing always

Yet you see it at its weakest when scattered as rain.

وَالسورُ ما يَنفَكُّ مُمتَنِعاً

وَالسورُ ما يَنفَكُّ مُمتَنِعاً

فَإِذا يُناكِرُ بَعضَهُ اِنهَدَما

فَإِذا يُناكِرُ بَعضَهُ اِنهَدَما

And the wall never ceases to be impregnable,

And a fence does not cease to be impenetrable

A wall remains an impregnable fortress,

But when its parts disown one another, it collapses.

Until part of it betrays so it collapses

But collapses if its stones refuse to hold one another.

وَالشَعبُ لَيسَ بِناهِضٍ أَبَداً

وَالشَعبُ لَيسَ بِناهِضٍ أَبَداً

ما دامَ فيهِ الخُلفُ مُحتَكِما

ما دامَ فيهِ الخُلفُ مُحتَكِما

And a people will never rise

And a people will never rise

A people will never rise to greatness

As long as discord holds sway within it.

As long as disagreement rules among them

As long as discord reigns supreme among them.

يا لِلأَديبِ وَما يُكابِدُهُ

يا لِلأَديبِ وَما يُكابِدُهُ

في أُمَّةٍ لا تُشبِهُ الأُمَما

في أُمَّةٍ لا تُشبِهُ الأُمَما

Alas for the writer and what he endures

Oh woe to the writer and what he endures

Oh, the pity for the man of letters and what he endures

In a nation unlike other nations!

Among a nation that does not resemble nations

Amongst a nation that resembles no other nation.

إِن باحَ لَم تَسلَم كَرامَتُهُ

إِن باحَ لَم تَسلَم كَرامَتُهُ

وَالإِثمُ كُلُّ الإِثمِ إِن كَتَما

وَالإِثمُ كُلُّ الإِثمِ إِن كَتَما

If he speaks out, his dignity is not safe,

If he speaks his dignity is not safe

If he speaks out, his dignity is stripped away,

Yet it is sin—utter sin—if he keeps silent.

And silence, all silence, is sin if he conceals

Yet the greatest sin of all is if he remains silent.

يَبكي فَتَضحَكُ مِنهُ لاهِيَةً

يَبكي فَتَضحَكُ مِنهُ لاهِيَةً

وَالجَهلُ إِن يَبكِ الحِجى اِبتَسَما

وَالجَهلُ إِن يَبكِ الحِجى اِبتَسَما

He weeps, and it laughs at him, heedless;

He weeps so the heedless laugh at him

He weeps, and the nation laughs at him in distraction;

And ignorance smiles when reason weeps.

And ignorance smiles when the wise cry

For when Wisdom weeps, Ignorance merely smiles.

جاءَت وَما شَعَرَ الوُجودُ بِها

جاءَت وَما شَعَرَ الوُجودُ بِها

وَلَسَوفَ تَمضي وَهوَ ما عَلِما

وَلَسَوفَ تَمضي وَهوَ ما عَلِما

It came, and existence never noticed it;

It came but existence did not feel it

This nation entered existence without the world noticing,

And it will surely pass, while existence remains unaware.

And it will pass while unaware

And it shall pass away without the world ever knowing.

سارَ الشُعوبُ إِلى العُلى عَنَقاً

سارَ الشُعوبُ إِلى العُلى عَنَقاً

وَوَنَت فَلَم تَنقُل لَها قَدَما

وَوَنَت فَلَم تَنقُل لَها قَدَما

The peoples marched swiftly toward the heights,

Nations marched to the heights necks raised

Other peoples marched toward glory with swift strides,

While it languished, without moving a foot.

But you faltered and did not move your feet

While this one languished, moving not a single foot.

ما أَحدَثَت في الدَهرِ طارِقَةً

ما أَحدَثَت في الدَهرِ طارِقَةً

تَبقى وَلَيسَ تَليدُها عَلَما

تَبقى وَلَيسَ تَليدُها عَلَما

It has wrought no innovation through the ages

It did not create a striking event in time

It has not forged any momentous event in history

That endures; nor is its ancestral heritage a beacon.

Remaining such that its track is no monument

That endures, nor is its ancient past a guiding beacon.

ضَعُفَت فَلا عَجَبٌ إِذا اِهتُضِمَت

ضَعُفَت فَلا عَجَبٌ إِذا اِهتُضِمَت

اللَيثُ لَولا بَأسُهُ اِهتُضِما

اللَيثُ لَولا بَأسُهُ اِهتُضِما

It grew weak, so no wonder if it is oppressed;

It weakened so no wonder if subjugated

It grew weak, so it is no wonder it was oppressed;

The lion, but for its might, would be oppressed.

The lion, without his might, would be subjugated

For even the lion, without his might, would be devoured.

فَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الكَونَ سُنَّتُهُ

فَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الكَونَ سُنَّتُهُ

كَالبَحرِ يَأكُلُ حوتُهُ البَلَما

كَالبَحرِ يَأكُلُ حوتُهُ البَلَما

For I have seen the universe: its law

I have seen the way of the universe

I have observed the law of the universe:

Is like the sea's—its great fish devour the small.

Like the sea where its whale eats its fish

It is like the sea, where the whale eats the minnow.

لا يَرحَمُ المِقدامُ ذا خَوَرٍ

لا يَرحَمُ المِقدامُ ذا خَوَرٍ

أَو يَرحَمُ الضِرغامَةُ الغَنَما

أَو يَرحَمُ الضِرغامَةُ الغَنَما

The brave show no mercy to the fainthearted;

No pity for one falling in battle

The bold show no mercy to the faint-hearted,

Or does the lion show mercy to sheep?

Or mercy by the wolf for the sheep

Just as the lion shows no mercy to the sheep.

يا صاحِبي وَهَواكَ يَجذُبُني

يا صاحِبي وَهَواكَ يَجذُبُني

حَتّى لَأَحسَبُ بَينَنا رَحِما

حَتّى لَأَحسَبُ بَينَنا رَحِما

O my friend, your love draws me

My friend, your passion pulls me

O my friend, though my affection for you draws me close,

Until I truly believe there is kinship between us.

Until I feel a womb between us

Until I believe there is a bond of blood between us,

ما ضَرَّنا وَالوِدُّ مُلتَإِمٌ

ما ضَرَّنا وَالوِدُّ مُلتَإِمٌ

أَن لا يَكونَ الشَملُ مُلتَإِما

أَن لا يَكونَ الشَملُ مُلتَإِما

With our affection whole, it does us no harm

It did not harm us though love brought us together

It does not harm us, while our friendship remains whole,

That we are not gathered together.

That unity was not also brought together

That our paths in life are not united.

الناسُ تَقرَءُ ما تُسَطِّرُهُ

الناسُ تَقرَءُ ما تُسَطِّرُهُ

حِبراً وَيَقرَءُهُ أَخوكَ دَما

حِبراً وَيَقرَءُهُ أَخوكَ دَما

People read what you write

People read what you compose

The people read what you write as mere ink,

As ink, while your brother reads it as blood.

In ink, and your brother reads it in blood

While your brother reads it as spilled blood.

فَاِستَبقِ نَفساً غَيرُ مُرجِعِها

فَاِستَبقِ نَفساً غَيرُ مُرجِعِها

عَضُّ الأَنامِلِ بَعدَها نَدَما

عَضُّ الأَنامِلِ بَعدَها نَدَما

So preserve your life: it will not be brought back

So vie for a soul with no return

So spare a soul that cannot be restored

By biting your fingertips afterward in remorse.

The gnashing of fingers in regret afterward

By biting your fingertips in regret thereafter.

ما أَنتَ مُبدِلُهُم خَلائِقَهُم

ما أَنتَ مُبدِلُهُم خَلائِقَهُم

حَتّى تَكونَ الأَرضُ وَهيَ سَما

حَتّى تَكونَ الأَرضُ وَهيَ سَما

You will not change their natures

You cannot change their nature

You cannot change their ingrained nature,

Until the earth itself becomes sky.

Until the earth becomes the heavens

Unless the earth itself turns into the sky.

زارَتكَ لَم تَهتِك مَعانيها

زارَتكَ لَم تَهتِك مَعانيها

غَرّاءَ يَهتِكُ نورُها الظُلَما

غَرّاءَ يَهتِكُ نورُها الظُلَما

It visited you, its meanings still unviolated,

She visited you, her meanings not violated

The verses visited you, their meanings intact and pure,

Radiant, its light tearing through the darkness.

Dazzling, her light violates the darkness

Radiant words whose light shatters the darkness.

سَبَقَت يَدي فيها هَواجِسُهُم

سَبَقَت يَدي فيها هَواجِسُهُم

وَنَطَقتُ لَمّا اِستَصحَبوا البُكُما

وَنَطَقتُ لَمّا اِستَصحَبوا البُكُما

My hand, in it, outstripped their imaginings,

My apprehensions about them came first

My hand captured these thoughts before theirs could,

And I spoke when they took the mute as companions.

And I spoke when they fell mute

And I spoke out while they chose the company of silence.

إِذا تُقاسُ إِلى رَوائِعِهِم

إِذا تُقاسُ إِلى رَوائِعِهِم

كانَت رَوائِعُهُم لَها خَدَما

كانَت رَوائِعُهُم لَها خَدَما

When it is compared with their masterpieces,

Measured next to their masterpieces

If my words are measured against their masterpieces,

Their masterpieces become its servants.

Their masterpieces are to it servants

Their masterpieces would merely serve as handmaidens to mine.

كَالراحِ لَم أَرَ قَبلَ سامِعِها

كَالراحِ لَم أَرَ قَبلَ سامِعِها

سَكرانَ هِدَّ السُكرِ مُحتَشِما

سَكرانَ هِدَّ السُكرِ مُحتَشِما

It is like wine: until I saw its listener, I had never seen

Like the wind, I never saw before hearing it

Like wine—never before have I seen one listening to it

A drunken man, overcome by intoxication, yet dignified.

A drunk made sober by its intoxication

Who became drunk with ecstasy, yet remained dignified.

يَخدُ القِفارَ بِها أَخو لَجَبٍ

يَخدُ القِفارَ بِها أَخو لَجَبٍ

يُنسي القِفارَ الأَينَقُ الرَسما

يُنسي القِفارَ الأَينَقُ الرَسما

A clamorous one strides through the deserts with it,

It plays the deserts, a smooth brother

The traveler traverses the wastelands chanting it,

Making the deserts forget the swift-striding she-camels.

Makes the deserts forget the exquisite engraving

Making his camels forget the weariness of the desert track.

أَقبَستُهُ شَوقي فَأَضلُعُهُ

أَقبَستُهُ شَوقي فَأَضلُعُهُ

كَأَضالِعي مَملوأَةٌ ضَرَما

كَأَضالِعي مَملوأَةٌ ضَرَما

I kindled my longing in him, and his ribs

I took its passion so my ribs

I ignited him with my longing, so his ribs

Like my own, are filled with blazing fire.

Became like my ribs filled with wounds

Became like mine, filled with burning fire.

إِنَّ الكَواكِبَ في مَنازِلِها

إِنَّ الكَواكِبَ في مَنازِلِها

لَو شِئتُ لَاِستَنزَلتُها كَلِما

لَو شِئتُ لَاِستَنزَلتُها كَلِما

Indeed, the stars in their stations—

The stars in their positions

Verily, the stars in their celestial spheres—

Had I wished, I would surely have brought them down as words.

If I wished I could bring them down word by word

Had I wished, I could have brought them down as words.